This Is Why You’re Fat posts reader pictures of the incredible calorie bombs they’ve discovered, like The Hamdog, “A hot dog wrapped in a beef patty that’s deep fried, covered with chili, cheese, onions, served on a hoagie bun topped with two fistfuls of fries and a fried egg.” Really, it’s about efficiency. Who has time for all those meals when you can just eat one and get all the calories you need for the next couple of days?
health
Consumer Advocate Clark Howard Announces He Has Prostate Cancer
By 2.19.09
The consumer advocate, author, and radio personality Clark Howard told his listeners yesterday that he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, it was caught very early, so chances are excellent that it can be removed without complications. Like a true advocate, Howard took advantage of the announcement to urge men over 40 to get regularly screened for prostate cancer.
Uninsured Resort To Setting Own Broken Bones
By 2.19.09
Think you could set your own broken bone? That’s what some of the millions of uninsured people in America end up doing when they need medical care.
Unstick Your Ears After A Flight
By 2.12.09
Sometimes your ears get stuck during airplane rides and even an hour later, you’ve still got a painful pressure built-up and difficulty hearing. Here’s some things you can do to unclog the works.
Chicago Considering A Partial Ban On Bisphenol-A Products
By 2.12.09
Chicago might become the first place in the United States to partially ban the sale of products that contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), the chemical that some studies have shown may have harmful effects on humans. They’re proposing to forbid the sale of any BPA product intended for children. Canada banned the chemical last year, but the FDA has so far come down on the side of manufacturers.
Aetna Underpaid Students, Settles For $5 Million
By 2.9.09
If you’re a student and think Aetna underpaid the reimbursement for your out-of-network care, you may have some money coming to you. The insurer has settled for $5 million plus interest and penalties.
So, Who's To Blame For The Salmonella Outbreak? PCA, The FDA, The CDC…
By 2.6.09
We know there’s salmonella story fatigue setting in, but this new overview from yesterday’s Senate hearing is the best yet as far as piecing together exactly how salmonella-tainted peanut butter made it into our food supply for such a long period of time, and why it took so long to trace it back to a single rotten peanut plant in Georgia. Ultimately the blame lies with Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) for failing to maintain its factory and for not destroying lots that tested positive for salmonella, but both the FDA and the CDC had a role in it, too. One example: the FDA didn’t even know the plant produced peanut butter or peanut paste until 2007.
Papa John's Founder Says Don't Eat Too Much Of His Pizza
By 2.6.09
Marketing and PR folks probably dread stories like this one: John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s, said on a BBC radio interview yesterday that you shouldn’t eat too much of their pizza.
Peanut Corp Says Salmonella Plant Was Regularly Inspected, Given Good Ratings
By 2.4.09
Peanut Corp. of America is now saying that its Georgia plant was regularly inspected by the FDA and given a “meets or exceeds” rating. This doesn’t excuse the company from its own failings, but we think it points out what President Obama recently noted, which is that the FDA inspection system doesn’t seem to work very well.
By 1.28.09
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Here are 11 fruits and vegetables that typically have low amounts of pesticides. Now we just need to find a recipe for asparagus pineapple onion salad. [The Daily Green]
Snapple's Acai Drink Just Pear Juice And Corn Syrup
By 1.23.09
Of all the ridiculous Acai schemes we’ve seen involving overpriced miracle elixirs, Snapple wins hands down—their Acai Blackberry drink is high fructose corn syrup, pear juice, and “natural flavors,” which Consumerist reader LS points out could be “a spoonful of blackberry jam from Aunt Sally’s root cellar and a puff of acai-laced breath from the health food girl in accounting.” Or more likely, just some flavoring extracts from a company similar to this one.
Delicious 2,600-Calorie Baskin Robbins Milkshake Is The Worst Food In America
By 1.21.09
In their annual roundup of unhealthy restaurant foods, Men’s Health has declared the Baskin Robbins large chocolate Oreo shake the worst food in America, supplanting Outback’s bacon and ranch dressing cheese fries.
Seven States Sue Over Health Worker "Conscience" Rule
By 1.16.09
Seven state attorneys general, Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU have sued to overturn the so-called “conscience” rule, which allows doctors, pharmacists, and other health care workers to refuse to perform procedures or dispense medication that conflicts with their beliefs.
Kellogg: "Please Don't Eat Our Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers"
By 1.15.09
Can’t make it to your local prison, hospital, or school cafeteria to get in on this year’s peanut butter salmonella craze? Kellogg may have you covered at the nearest snack vending machine. The company has announced that it doesn’t want anyone eating its Keebler and Austin brand peanut butter crackers right now while it investigates whether they’re action packed with salmonella stowaways.
Persona Razors, Now! With The Same Amount Of Razors!
By 1.14.09
Companies are scrambling to make their products seem more affordable in this economic climate, and, in some cases, are resorting to simply making it up. Reader Ben sent in this picture of Personna razor blades. The old pack is on the left, containing 12 razors. The new one is on the right, also containing 12 razors, but it boasts a scratched out 10 and a big 12 and now it’s a “Value Pack.” You get the same number of razors, pay the same, but now you get the added bonus of feeling like you’re a savvy shopper.
Man Finds Meal Worms In Reese's Brownie, After Taking Big Bite
By 1.14.09
As if a big chocolate doodie drizzled in caramelized cheez-wiz wasn’t gross enough, Marc was dismayed to find his Reese’s brownie covered in strange webbing. Dismay turned to horror as he ascertained the white strings and brown pellets were related to the meal worms crawling their way through his sweet treat. When he took the brownie back to the deli, they opened the rest of the batch. It was a veritable meal worm polka party. The horror unfolds in photographic form, inside…
Dear President-Elect Obama, The FDA Is Mismanaged. Sincerely, The FDA
By 1.12.09
A letter to President-Elect Obama from nine FDA scientists makes alarming charges of mismanagement at the FDA, alleging incompetence, intimidation, and inappropriate industry influence.
That Burning From Mouthwash? It's Cancer
By 1.11.09
Great news, kids! Australian researcher Michael McCullough says you should stop using alcoholic mouthwashes like Listerine and Scope because they could give you oral cancer.
